A dishwasher of this type is known from DE 10 2005 023 428 A1. Further dishwashers are known from the following documents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,807,420; 4,179,821; EP 0 978 250 A 2, EP 0 711 528 A1, EP 0 378 836 A1 and DE 40 29 958 A1.
Industrial dishwashers which are designed for loading batches of wash ware into, and unloading the same from, a treatment chamber are available, in particular, in the form of front-loader dishwashers or hood-type dishwashers. In the case of front-loader dishwashers, the wash ware is placed in a rack and the rack loaded with wash ware is positioned in the treatment chamber through a front door and, following washing, removed through the front door again. In the case of hood-type dishwashers, the racks loaded with wash ware are pushed manually into the treatment chamber from an entry side and, following completion of a dishwashing program, removed manually from the treatment chamber from an exit side. Front-loader dishwashers and hood-type dishwashers contain just a single treatment chamber for the treatment of the wash ware. The front-loader dishwashers may be under-counter dishwashers or counter-top dishwashers.
Wash ware is usually washed by at least one washing process, during which the wash ware is sprayed with a wash liquid, and at least one subsequent final rinse process, during which the wash ware is sprayed with final rinse liquid. The final rinse liquid may be clean water or a mixture of clean water and rinse aid. Industrial dishwashers which are designed for batch loading are also referred to as batch dishwashers.
Wash ware may be, in particular, crockery, glassware, cutlery, dishes, pots, trays, boxes, etc.
Mainly two drying methods are used in industrial dishwashers. In the first method, the wash ware, still hot following the final rinse process, is removed from the machine, where it then dries in the ambient air within four to ten minutes. In order for the wash ware to dry, in the method described above, it is usually left in the racks in which it has been arranged for washing purposes in the dishwasher. In the second method, air drying takes place in the dishwasher.
Fresh-air drying systems for industrial front-loader or under-counter dishwashers operate with a high volume flow of air in the region of 25 to 60 m3 per hour, in order for it to be possible to dry the crockery in a very short period of time. The high volume flows of air are necessitated by the brevity of the drying operation in the industrial sector. In comparison with conventional drying in a domestic dishwasher, the active drying time of an industrial dishwasher is many times shorter. Whereas the drying-program time in a domestic dishwasher is approximately 30 minutes to 2.5 hours, the drying-program time in the industrial sector is between 1.5 and 5 minutes. As a result of this much shorter drying operation, in particular as a result of the high volume flow of air, the condensation located in the drying channel is blown out through a blowing-out opening. In addition, relatively small quantities of wash and final rinse liquid may pass into the drying channel since the drying channel is connected to the interior of the dishwasher. In standby phases and when the machine is first started up or heated up each day, it is likewise possible for droplets of condensation to form in the drying channel.
If the drying operation is then started, the high air speeds cause the droplets of water which are located, or suspended, in the drying channel to be carried along and conveyed or blown out of the blowing-out opening of the dishwasher. Furthermore, as a result of the air flow, a film of water forming on the base of the drying channel is also discharged, in part, through the blowing-out opening. This results, on the one hand, in individual droplets being slung out of the dishwasher into the surroundings and, on the other hand, in dripping water running out of the outlet on the front side of the machine. The total quantity of water discharged in this way, the quantity varying depending on the mode of operation or cycle sequence, may be up to approximately 10 ml during a single drying phase.
It would be desirable to make it possible to reduce the discharge of water from an industrial dishwasher. It would be desirable to reduce the quantity of water passing out, in particular during the drying operation (drying phase) as the dishwasher program is running.